While I'm losing weight, I understand about eating 800 calories a day. But, once I hit maintenance, shouldn't I be upping my calories to about 1,500 a day or so (if I'm exercising).

My question is how do you get all those calories into your sleeve during one day. If it only holds 4-6 ounces at a time. I just got approved and trying to figure out how this works once you get to maintenance. I want to eat fruits and vegetables and they are bulky.

thanks,

Mary

The way i understand it is (I am only a month out myself) your stomach will be able to hold 6 to 8 ounces at a time (maybe) after about a year. I too want to eat fruit and veggies as I am sick of only stick with just the meat..so i throw some in there a little bit but I am only able to eat about 4oz at a time and maybe hit 700 to 800 calories a day. My NUT said for right now thats fine but eventually she wants me to be closer to 1200 whichi s what a woman should be eating to maintain bodily function etc. Everyone is different. Have you spoken to a NUT to see what plan they want you on etc? Also depends on how far out you are. Good luck!

I did not increase my calories substantially in maintenance. I really did not change much at all. I allow myself more carbs through veggies and grain, to be able to keep my energy level up better. I would have to make some bad food choices to be able to load up 1500 calories in a day.

With maintenance, I would seriously suggest you only increase it in the smallest increments, and monitor you weight and how your clothes fit. It can take a few weeks for the calories to disagree with you.

I'm not in maintenance yet, but I've spoken to people who are and they say you learn to eat more healthy snacks throughout the day. You'll be amazed how you can almost double your caloric intake with small amounts of nuts, jerky, granola (homemade, low sugar), fresh fruit/veggie. I'm coming up on the nine-month mark and have already noticed I can eat almost 3-4oz of meat with dinner and a little more veggie than just 3-4 months ago. It is also easier to let the bad stuff in -- cookies, candy, chips -- you will always have to be on your toes with how little you allow them into your diet as very rare treats!

Mary, feel free to add me on MFP and you can see what I eat. I'm currently on a full liquid diet as I have a leak and I can get in almost 1200 calories a day - yes even on liquids - 7 months out. And slowly you will be able to eat more, as you get into maintenance mode. I work out a LOT (like 6-7 miles a day most days a week) but I never eat back my calories. Maybe a few, but no way all.

I also had the same question you did ... but you do slowly up your calories. At some point, you stall if you don't and ppl get so frustrated and are becoming hungrier. Hello... try changing it up and up your calories. Bam, I did and major loss. I still try to keep it at 1200 or so. But my metabolic test that my dr. did said I burn calories at a faster rate than most (who knew that mess when I was fat?) but I could eat up to 1650 a day and be able to maintain.

And with the wrong foods, I can easily do that (hello olive garden anyone? lol.. heck even a package or two of almonds, bam that's 200 calories in 2 ounces!). Keep tracking and if you do on MFP, feel free to add me, I share my journals.

Thanks for all the info. But, now I'm really concerned. After 7 months you have a leak? Is this something I have to worry about my whole life? I guess I thought the leaks only happened right at first.

Mary

Right I thought that far out that ur stomach has healed and everything. How is a leak that far out possible?! Smh and what r they doin about it?

It only takes 12 weeks for your sleeve to heal, that is why you don't have bread, rice, or pasta until then since they tend to swell in your stomach. I am almost 10 months and I am just starting maintenance. I was at my goal after 9 months. My NUT says I can have 1,200 calories a day and no more than 150g of carbs a day. I have really never been able to get over 800 calories a day in. So now I will just concentrate to eat foods that contain more calories and make sure I get in more carbs than I have been. I was out of town last week for a week with no scale and nothing but fried , fat foods in the deeps south. I concentrated on protein first, then a little fruit and veggies, and no bread (fills me up too much). I was able to know exactly what to eat while I was gone with no problem. In fact, I lost 1/2 lbs. while I was gone. I still can't eat over 8 oz. max at one time, but I will continue to have cheese sticks for snacks, or peanut butter and rice cakes for snacks. I also always have at least one rtd protein drink daily with 25-30g of protein. It is not hard to do once you get on your own plan. Don't worry about maintenance while you are still in your losing stages.

I had a leak a few weeks after my surgery. We found it, operated to fix it, but even after that I still had small one there. A week of TPN, it still didn't go away. Reason for all of this? My body had rejected a staple so I'm a "weird" case. Anyways, the tummy never healed. IDK if it's food or what that weighed the lining of the tummy down and reopened the portion or if the titanium staple next to where the leak is was keeping it open, not allowing it to heal. However, we know now it's closed 2 mm in a month and it's got about 5 mm in diameter to go. Good news is that your body forms a mucus plug once the diameter gets small enough. Bad news is that you have to watch the weight of what you eat (i.e. I'm on soft & full liquids, but remaining on full liquids as I'm scared) to not pull the mucus plug back apart. So yeah, I worry.

I work out a LOT (like 7 miles tonight, 6 miles on tuesday night, wed was an off night). So my body craves something - like my tummy is grumbling if I don't eat. So I'm doing RTD Protein shakes alot right now. I have to remain on lots of "good nutrition" to get my body to heal. That and time. That's all there is to do. My dr. said no more surgery. Thank god.

And sorry for my delayed response. I come here infrequently but do try to come back!

Something to remember on maintenance is that the 1200 calories can be increased by the calories you burn during exercise. So if you burn 300 calories/day on average exercising, you can consume 1500 calories/day and maintain your weight. This is from a NUT I talked with.